Mass. teacher finds success with flipped model

By Michael Hartwell, Sentinel & Enterprise

April 17th, 2015

The flipped instructional model, though not yet mainstream, is still gaining fans in classrooms across the country, some stakeholders say

At Memorial Middle School in Fitchburg, Mass., science teacher Christopher Landry spends most of his time crouching down like a catcher, talking to his students one-on-one, instead of standing in front of the board.

For the past four years, Landry, 40, has incorporated the flipped educational model, in which lectures are delivered electronically outside of the class and homework is done during class.

Supporters say the method is growing in popularity, but Landry is the only one who uses it in his school.

“It’s the idea that the classroom centers on the students,” said Landry, who also uses elements of collaborative learning.

He said lectures are boring for students, as well as for teachers, and students learn better through discovery and hands-on work with the instructor available to help them when they get stuck.

Proponents say the approach changes the teacher from a “sage on the stage” to a “guide on the side” and gives students a deeper understanding of the subject matter, but the technique requires more work.